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FY 2011 President's Request for the National Ocean Service

On February 1, the President released the fiscal year (FY) 2011 budget request which includes $550.6 million for the National Ocean Service (NOS).This budget request supports NOAA’s and the Department of Commerce’s priorities for implementing national coastal and marine spatial planning; advancing regional ocean governance; reducing the vulnerability of coastal communities to climate-related hazards; and improving coastal ecosystems through science, management, and restoration. The following budget highlights for FY 2011 are areas where NOAA can provide stewardship and help promote the economies of coastal areas:

Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning +$6.8M: To support coastal and marine spatial planning (CMSP), NOAA will provide critical information to enhance and improve the strategic planning of ocean and coastal uses; provide support to other federal and state agencies to facilitate the integration of existing data into NOAA-developed decision support tools; coordinate across agencies on integrated approaches to CMSP; and create regional maps for CMSP. This initiative will enhance existing efforts for sustainable fisheries, safe navigation, improved water quality, living marine resources, and critical habitat protection.

Coastal Hazards +$4.0M: To reduce the vulnerability of coastal communities to the hardships and costs associated with climate-related hazards, NOAA will apply its scientific and technical expertise towards the development of improved environmental tools. NOAA will develop planning guidelines; provide training and information on understanding coastal risk assessments; and develop decision-support resources that integrate social, economic, and climate data.

Gulf of Mexico Coastal and Marine Elevation Pilot +$2.0M: NOAA will pilot a nationally integrated high-resolution topographic and bathymetric dataset to support coastal and marine spatial planning, modeling climate impacts, and ecosystem assessments. This effort will provide the foundational data and geospatial framework needed to measure changes in coastal elevation and nearshore bathymetry, delivering critical data to monitor and mitigate for the impacts of coastal erosion, habitat loss, and coastal inundation.

Marine Sensors +$9.5M: NOAA will develop and improve sensors for ocean biological and physical parameters that will allow rapid, accurate detection of disease-causing microbes in marine waters that may pose health risks to humans. Priority consideration will be given to efforts that have applicability to ocean acidification, harmful algal blooms (HABs) and their contributing factors, and issues pertaining to oceans and human health.

Regional Ocean Partnership Grants +$20.0M: NOAA will support a targeted competitive grant program to advance regional ocean management through support for regional ocean partnerships (including CMSP). The program will help support priority actions identified in plans of the existing regional ocean partnerships, as well as supporting the development and implementation of ocean management plans in other regions.

Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program +$10.0M: To improve stewardship and conservation of coastal and estuarine lands, NOAA will provide land conservation grants to state and local governments that are threatened by development, such as tidal or freshwater wetlands, stream buffers, and floodplains. The program will give priority to lands that can be effectively managed and protected, and have ecological value.